No Call deadline approaches

It’s time to get your phone number on the state’s No Call List by Friday’s deadline.

Wisconsin residents who add their phone numbers to the No Call List by this quarterly deadline can reduce the amount of calls from unsolicited telemarketers starting on January 1. The free service covers residential land lines and cell phones — both voice and text messages.

Sandy Chalmers is the Administrator of the Division of Trade and Consumer Protection with DATCP. “People who don’t pay for texting plans, it really pays to get your phone number registered on the list, because when those texts come in, quite often you have to pay for them.” That feature was passed into law earlier this year.

Not all unwanted calls are violations of Wisconsin’s No Call law that took effect in 2003. Political and charitable organizations asking for a donation are exempt. “The No Call Law covers business solicitations. It does not cover charitable donations; it doesn’t cover political calls; only solicitations to purchase property, goods, or services.”

Also, an increasing number of illegal telemarketing calls are made from outside the country, and the state cannot take enforcement action in foreign countries.

Over 2.1 million phone numbers are currently on the state No Call list. Consumers must register every two years to stay active. The list is updated four times per calendar year (January 1, April 1, July 1 and October 1). You can sign up 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The deadline for the January list is November 30th. 1-866-9NO-CALL or visit nocall.Wisconsin.gov.

Send an e-mail complaint or call toll-free at 1-800-422-7128. Connect with Consumer Protection on Facebook.